


Blazin' Trails

by Iheartgod175



Series: Blazin' Trails [1]
Category: Ricochet Rabbit & Droop-a-Long (Hanna-Barbera)
Genre: Best Friends, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Interspecies Friendship, Interspecies Romance (Droop-a-Long/OC), Western, friendship fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-30
Updated: 2017-04-18
Packaged: 2018-09-03 10:42:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8709244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iheartgod175/pseuds/Iheartgod175
Summary: He's the fastest sheriff in the West, with a prideful nature and an equally fast temper. He's the slowest deputy around, bumbling through life in his clumsy but easygoing way. They're total opposites at its finest, and yet they've remained the best of friends. They've had their rough patches, and more than once, their friendship has been tested to the utmost limit. But if there's one thing that can't be argued, it's that their friendship, while odd, is unbreakable. A series of vignettes focusing on Ricochet Rabbit and Droop-a-Long, ranging from sweet to silly to serious.





	1. No One's Perfect

**Short 1: No One's Perfect**

Droop-a-Long Coyote had only seen Ricochet Rabbit lose only a few times in his career as deputy. In fact, it was hard to put "lose" and "Ricochet" in the same sentence. Ricochet was the toughest sheriff in the West for a reason; no matter what the bad guys threw at him, no matter how much he got hurt, he would bounce right back and put them in their place. He never let anything get to him for long. He won pretty much all the time. That was who he was. That was what he did.

So when Ricochet returned to the office late that afternoon, Droop-a-Long was shocked to see the look of utter defeat on his face. It was so unlike the confident, spirited rabbit he knew that for a moment he thought he was hallucinating. He couldn't bring himself to say anything, and Ricochet didn't say anything to acknowledge his presence. He just took off his hat, set it on the coat rack, and slumped into his chair, burying his face in his hands.

"M-Mr. Ricochet?" Droop-a-Long started. He had a feeling that what he was going to ask would make the situation worse, but he had to ask anyway. "Did you get that renegade?"

Ricochet snapped up to face his deputy, his expression set into a hard glare. "If I caught 'im, Droop, would I really come back here empty-handed?" he asked. His tone was calm, but one could hear the barely restrained anger behind it. "If I caught 'im, would I have to file a report that states five people died today?"

Droop-a-Long's jaw dropped. He hadn't thought it was that bad. "N-No, Mr. Ricochet," he said, "but-"

"Then don't ask me such a stupid question, Droop-a-Long! Of course I didn't catch that renegade!" Ricochet snapped, jumping out of his chair.

"I reckon you're right upset," Droop-a-Long answered.

"Gee, Droop, what gave ya that idea?" Ricochet asked sarcastically.

"You're the one yellin' at me when I asked you a simple question!"

"You're right, Droop; it _was_ a simple question! I know I shouldn't expect more from you, given that you're not the smartest around these parts, but I still do anyway!"

"Now hold on a darn minute! I don't know what you're angry about, Mr. Ricochet, but you don't need to take your anger out on me!" Droop-a-Long said.

"You don't know!" Ricochet threw his hands into the air. "Well, that's a new one I've never heard before! Out of all the things you could possibly say, you say, 'I don't know'. Was my explanation from earlier too vague, Droop-a-Long?!"

"I would know if you would tell me, Mr. Rico-"

"Alright, fine, I'll tell you," Ricochet interrupted. "So there I was, chasin' that renegade Bomb Voyage towards the jail, when all of a sudden, his gang appeared outta nowhere. They got the drop on me, and while I was knocked out, Bomb Voyage went and blew up a bank. A dozen people are hurt, and five of them were right in the blast zone. By the time I got there, I couldn't do anything!"

The broom Droop-a-Long had been holding hit the floor. "Oh my gosh..."

"Do you know how useless I feel when I can't stop a crime like that? Do you know how guilty I feel when people die because I couldn't do anything?" Ricochet continued. His anger had mostly melted away, leaving sadness and bitterness underneath. "Everyone was lookin' at me like it was my fault...and maybe they're right. Maybe it is my fault."

"No, Mr. Ricochet-"

"I understand you're tryin' to make me feel better, Droop. But let's face it. I messed up," Ricochet said. "And I'm thinkin' the best thing to do is to quit bein' the sheriff. I don't have what it takes."

Droop-a-Long was utterly speechless. He never thought he'd hear his boss-no, his _best friend_ -say those words, ever. Ricochet wasn't one to quit on anything, and he wouldn't tolerate weakness. To see him at his weakest and saying that he was quitting, on top of that? A part of the coyote wondered if he'd stepped into the Twilight Zone.

"Mr. Ricochet, you gotta rethink this," Droop-a-Long said.

"No, Droop, my mind's made up," Ricochet said. His voice was shaky and he had to take a deep breath to calm himself down. He was _not_ going to cry over this. "I'll be leavin' in the mornin', Droop-a-Long. And don't bother tryin' to convince me to come back, because I ain't goin' to."

He then started to walk out the door, but that was when Droop-a-Long said, "You know, there was a person who told me that no one's perfect. We all make mistakes, but we've just gotta learn from 'em and move on, not beat ourselves up over 'em."

Ricochet suppressed a groan as he looked at Droop-a-Long. "And who told you that?"

"You did, Mr. Ricochet," Droop-a-Long said, "when I was appointed to be your deputy."

Ricochet's eyes widened in surprise, and he turned to face him fully. "You...you remembered that?" he asked.

"It's kinda hard to forget when you told me a hundred times," Droop-a-Long said. "But ya also told me that you'd always be my friend, that ya wouldn't get mad if I was slow, or clumsy..."

"Droop, I'm still your friend, even after all these years," Ricochet said. His ears fell. "But I shouldn't have said those things about ya, even if I was blowin' off some steam. I'm mighty sorry I insulted you back there, Droop-a-Long. I can't blame ya if you're mad at me."

"You know I never stay mad for long, Mr. Ricochet," Droop-a-Long said. "And to be honest, I can't blame ya for bein' upset. I'd be right upset, too. But I know there's better ways to handle bein' upset."

"And I handled it wrong," Ricochet said. He sighed. "Can you forgive me, Droop-a-Long?"

"There's nothin' to forgive, Mr. Ricochet," he said. "I'm just glad you're still not talkin' about leavin'." His smile disappeared when he realized what he'd said. "Are you still plannin' on leavin'?"

"Well, I was thinkin' of it," Ricochet replied, "but I realized that I can't give up. There are more renegades to rustle up, and Bomb Voyage is one of them. Plus...I wouldn't leave my friend to protect a whole district by himself. It takes two to take on Hoop 'n Holler, after all."

"That's true," Droop-a-Long answered. He chuckled. "I figured that you'd come back, Mr. Ricochet."

"And I figured you'd say that," Ricochet replied. "Come on. Let's head on down to the saloon and get somethin' to eat. All that chasin' made me hungry."

"You sure you'll be alright?"

"I don't know for sure, Droop. But I know that if I mess up, I'll have you to help me out," he said. For the first time since he'd come back, a real smile came on his face. "Thanks a lot for your help, Droop."

"Any time, Mr. Ricochet."


	2. Night Owls

_"Oh, Susanna, don't you cry for me..."_

Ricochet's ears twitched at the sound of Droop-a-Long's off-key singing echoing around the office. Cracking open his eyes, he looked at his alarm clock and saw that it was 1:00 in the morning. He groaned as he pulled himself to a sitting position. This was the fourth time this week he'd been awoken in the middle of the night by his deputy's shuffling around, and though he could manage on a few hours of sleep, tonight he really needed it because they were going to a meeting in the morning.

He got up and walked out of his room, making his way downstairs to the office. Droop-a-Long was sweeping up the place, a steaming pot of coffee on the stove in the corner, and still singing "Oh Susanna". Sighing, he asked, "Don't ya think it's a bit early to do mornin' chores, Droop?"

Droop-a-Long jumped, utterly startled, and turned to face him. His green eyes were alight with surprise. "Oh, mornin', Mr. Ricochet. Did I wake you up?"

"It's hard to sleep when you're makin' a lot of noise," Ricochet said.

"Sorry, Mr. Ricochet. I sometimes sing to myself when I'm workin'."

Ricochet waved off the apology. "It's alright, Droop. I couldn't sleep anyway."

Droop-a-Long's face fell. "Mostly because of me, I reckon."

"Why are you up this early, anyway? Mornin' duties aren't until after seven," Ricochet asked.

"Well..." Droop-a-Long scratched his chin in embarrassment. "I can't sleep. I'm kinda like a night owl, as you'd probably say, Mr. Ricochet."

"Really?" Ricochet's eyebrows rose in surprise.

"Yeah. When I was growin' up, I used to stay up late to keep an eye out for my pa. He'd work for really late hours, so it was up to me to keep things clean and hand him a cup o' coffee. At first, I couldn't stay up for any longer than ten o'clock, but I eventually got used to stayin' up late."

"Ah, I see," Ricochet said. "I used to be the same when I was younger, Droop. I had so much energy, I wouldn't be able to sleep for hours. Had to get that stamped out of me when I trained to be a sheriff."

"Even then, you're still full of energy, Mr. Ricochet. I can barely keep up with ya," Droop-a-Long pointed out. "'sides...sometimes when I sleep, I think of home, and realize how much I miss my folks and my friends."

Ricochet walked over to Droop-a-Long, and put an arm above his waist. Due to his diminutive size, it was the closest thing to an arm around the back as he could manage. "I understand, Droop. The first few years I was a sheriff, I was pretty homesick," he said. "I slowly got over it, though, when I sent letters to my parents and let 'em know I was okay. Plus, chattin' with a few o' my friends helped out, too."

"I wish I could do the same thing," Droop-a-Long said. "My folks move from place to place, so I never know where they are. And I never really had any friends..."

"You'll find 'em, Droop. I know you will. Plus, ya do have a friend ta talk to," Ricochet replied.

"Who's that?"

"Whaddya mean 'who's that'? I'm talkin' 'bout me, Droop-a-Long!" Ricochet said. "I'm your friend, ain't I?"

"You're my best friend, Mr. Ricochet," Droop-a-Long replied. "But-"

"But nothin', Droop. If there's anythin' that's troublin' ya, I'll help ya out...even if it's somethin' like helpin' ya feel less lonely," Ricochet said. He looked up at Droop-a-Long, who stared down at him in surprise. "And even if it means stayin' up all night."

"Aw...thanks, Mr. Ricochet," Droop-a-Long said, smiling at last. "That really means a lot to me."

"Anytime, Droop-a-Long," Ricochet replied, patting his deputy on the back. "Now, since we're both wide awake now, how's about we sit by the fireplace an' drink some coffee? It'll probably help ya take your mind off home."

Droop-a-Long smiled down at the sheriff. "One cup of coffee comin' right up."

* * *

_An hour later...  
_

"...an' that's how my Granddaddy Ricochet saved that thar little lady from bein' sent off, Droop-a-Long," Ricochet said, leaning back in his chair, his feet crossed and propped up on the table. "She was so grateful to 'im that she gave 'im loads o' kisses. Chocolate kisses, ta be precise. Though I bet there were regular ones involved, too." He chuckled.

Droop-a-Long, who was sitting in the chair opposite of him, sat at the edge of his seat, eyes wide with interest, as they had been for the last ten minutes. Ricochet wasn't even sure if his deputy had blinked the whole time. "Wow...that's such a wonderful story, Mr. Ricochet," he said at last.

"Yeah, an' ya know that gal he saved? She's my grandma," Ricochet said. He smiled as he sank into his chair. "He told me that he'd never loved another gal since. Same with my daddy, too."

"Aww, that's jus' sweet," Droop-a-Long sighed. Upon seeing Ricochet's surprised expression, Droop-a-Long gave a small laugh. "Sorry. I kinda have a soft spot fer romantic endin's..."

Ricochet chuckled. "So did a friend o' mine. He was always tearin' up at a love story," he said. "But more importantly, my Granddaddy Ricochet learned that day that he wanted ta be a sheriff from then on out. So ya could say that he started the family tradition of the sons bein' sheriffs."

"Wow..." Droop-a-Long sighed again. "Sure wish my family was like that, Mr. Ricochet. My family's always been kinda odd."

"Really, now? How come?"

"Well, all the older sons in the family have done all sortsa things. My grandpa made clocks, my dad ran a store for a lil' while, and my older brother Hop-a-Long's a cook," Droop-a-Long said.

"Sounds ta me like they're more hands-on folks," Ricochet noted.

"Yeah, an' I'm not too good with my hands, Mr. Ricochet. I mess up anythin' I touch," Droop-a-Long replied. "'bout the only thing I can do decently is cook, an' that's only when I concentrate real hard. I almost gave ya food poisonin' the last time I made somethin'..."

Ricochet couldn't help but shiver at that. "Yeah, I do remember that," he said. Upon seeing the coyote's dejected expression, he said, "But Droop, jus' cause you're not much of a hands-on guy doesn't mean that you're bad at everythin'."

"How do ya know, Mr. Ricochet? I've only been workin' with ya for a good few months," Droop-a-Long said.

"You can pick up a lot 'bout folks in a few months, Droop. For what ya lack in hands-on skills, ya make up for it with your senses. You're very observant, even more so than I am. You're able ta pick up more sounds, smells and sights than I can...an' that's somethin' I normally don't admit," Ricochet said. "You're more of a visual person."

"Even so, my family's kinda borin' when ya line them up next to yours, Mr. Ricochet," Droop-a-Long said. "Your family's...eh, what's the word I'm lookin' fer...uh, oh, now I remember. Unique."

"An' so's yours, Droop," Ricochet said. "We're all unique. If we was all the same, then it'd be a right borin' world. Sure, most o' my family's got a thing with speed an' a love of upholdin' the law. But from what I've heard, most o' yours likes to trade things, and most of all...they like ta serve people." He paused upon seeing Droop-a-Long's confused expression. "I'm not sayin' that y'all are servants or anythin'. Ya can serve in many ways, Droop-a-Long, such as what your granddaddy did with clocks, or what your daddy an' your brother did by supplyin' people with food."

"And how am I servin' people?"

"By helpin' uphold the law, Droop. So ya see, your family's not borin' or odd 'cause each of 'em did somethin' different. Your family's unique. An' so are you," Ricochet said. "Ya shouldn't forget that."

Droop-a-Long stared at him for a few moments more, utter shock on his face. Then, a warm smile spread across his face. "Thanks, Mr. Ricochet," he said. "I appreciate that a lot."

"You're welcome, Droopy. I'm glad I could make ya feel better," Ricochet said, smiling back. "Now that I've told ya a bit 'bout my family, I wonder what sorta family stories you've got."

"Shucks, I've got a lot of stories," Droop-a-Long said. "One o' my favorite memories was a story my grandpa told me 'bout how he met my grandma. It's really sweet, too."

"Oh, really? I don't mind a lil' heartwarmin' story every now an' then," Ricochet said. He picked up his mug, only to find that it was empty. "Say, do we still have coffee in the pot, Droop-a-Long?"

"I think so. If not I'll have ta make another batch," Droop-a-Long said, getting up to go to the stove. "An' while I'm up, I'll get some snacks, too."

"Oh, and Droop-a-Long?"

Droop-a-Long stopped to turn around. "Yes, Mr. Ricochet?"

"When ya make the coffee this time, don' make it too strong," Ricochet said. "I almost chipped my tooth off!"

Droop-a-Long gave an embarrassed smile. "I'll make note o' that, Mr. Ricochet..."

* * *

_Many hours later..._

Ricochet awoke with a groan, pulling at his nightshirt in order to get some air flowing. It was sweltering in the office, and his nightshirt clung to his body, matted with sweat. The first thing he'd noticed was that Droop-a-Long wasn't in his chair. The second thing he noticed was the large clock above his desk that currently chimed two o'clock.

"Oh, no..." He groaned again, this time in irritation. He'd missed the meeting due to staying up all night with Droop-a-Long. He'd thought they'd fall asleep within an hour or two, but they'd stayed up for about four hours, sharing family stories and laughs, among other things. By the time Droop-a-Long had finally fallen asleep, it was five in the morning. Ricochet had fallen asleep thirty minutes later, remembering the times he'd had with his best friends.

He got out of his chair and stretched, feeling the bones in his spine crack into place. This action caused something to fall off his lap and crash to the floor, and he looked down at his feet. A blanket had fallen around his ankles, as well as a metal plate with some carrot coffee cake, now in crumbs on the floor. Picking up the blanket and brushing off the crumbs, he folded it, placed it on the chair, and then picked up the metal plate. As he was walking over to his desk while brushing off his fur, heading for the broom, he noticed that there was a note on the desk. He picked up the note, and immediately encountered Droop-a-Long's swirly handwriting.

_Went ahead to the meeting, Mr. Ricochet. I'll be back later this afternoon._

_Droop-a-Long_

No sooner had he finished reading that than Ricochet heard the door open. "Howdy, Mr. Ricochet," he said. "Sorry I left ya behind. You looked so peaceful that I didn't wanna wake ya up."

"I just got up right before you came in, so it's no big deal." Ricochet turned around to face Droop-a-Long. "When did you wake up, Droop?"

"Around noon, I reckon. I slept like a baby the whole time," Droop-a-Long replied. "Granted, I didn't understand everythin' they were sayin' at that sheriff's meetin', but I did grab a few papers from the buildin' that they said you're supposed to look at."

"Thanks, Droop. I appreciate this," Ricochet answered, taking the papers.

"You're welcome, Mr. Ricochet. Say, how's about we stay up late again?" Droop-a-Long said.

"Much as I'd like to, Droop, I'd rather not sleep the whole day away again," Ricochet said. "But maybe sometime in the future, alright?"

"That's fine with me, Sheriff."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This short is inspired by a 100 Ways to Say I Love You prompt: "It's okay. I couldn't sleep anyway." Of course, this story is (mostly) all about friendshipping!
> 
> I don't know why, but I definitely see Droop-a-Long as a night owl. Ricochet's more of an early bird, due to his nature, although I also think that he prefers napping.
> 
> I expanded this short to show a bit more of both Ricochet's and Droop-a-Long's families. Ricochet's family was mentioned in the episode "Mostly Ghostly", where his grandfather Ricochet is mentioned as being the one who started the family tradition of upholding the law. So, I added a little bit more detail to this character, who I think could grow to be more interesting in his own right. As for Droop-a-Long, I had to make up his family from scratch, since they didn't give a lot of hints to his family other than his adorable little nephew Tag-a-Long. I figured Droop-a-Long had to have a brother, so I made up Hop-a-Long. His story's on my profile page.
> 
> Showing how Ricochet and Droop-a-Long bond over family stories is pretty nice, though. And I liked writing Ricochet in this chapter,showing that he is a genuinely nice person who does care for others. He's not nearly as empathetic as Droop, but he doesn't have a heart of stone, either.


	3. Real Homemade

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the third chapter, inspired by a silly little commercial that I've seen in the past. However, it still turns out heartwarming in the end.

The sound of a pan crashing to the floor, followed by loud shushing noises, caused Ricochet to jump out of his sleep. At the sound of more metal hitting the floor, he jumped out of bed, grabbed his gun from off his nightstand and crept over to the door. This wasn't the first time someone attempted to rob his office in the middle of the night.

A third clang, and Droop-a-Long yelled, "YEEOWW! My poor foot!"

That did it for Ricochet then. Those outlaws could hurt him any time of the week, but nobody was going to lay a finger on Droop-a-Long, not if he had anything to say about it. He kicked open the door and swung over the landing, landing on the ground with a hard slap. All chaos stopped when he straightened up and leveled his gun at the intruders. "Alright, drop whatever you've got and nobody gets hurt!" he demanded.

Everyone in the room, including Droop-a-Long, screamed in terror upon seeing him. Ricochet was about to say something else when he noticed that the other people weren't dressed in outlaw clothing, or carried weapons on them. He also noticed that they were all wearing aprons and were holding whisks and mixing bowls.

"Shucks, I told ya you'd wake him up with all that noise," Droop-a-Long said, looking at one of the "intruders". He looked annoyed, and such an expression was rare on the coyote's face. "Now ya've gone and ruined the whole thing!"

"Sorry, Mr. Droop-a-Long," the man said. "The bowl slipped out of my hands."

"What the-how...I don't...what?" Ricochet was so shocked that he couldn't form a complete sentence. Droop-a-Long was working together with a group of intruders who appeared to be chefs? After a few more seconds of staring in stunned silence, he said, "Droop, what in the blue blazes are you doin'?!"

"Well, I guess since you're up now, I'll explain," Droop-a-Long replied.

"And what exactly do you need to explain, Droop-a-Long?" Ricochet demanded.

"Well, ya know how you love those homemade carrot biscuits from that diner across the way, but ya never eat 'em 'cause you're out fightin' crime?" Droop-a-Long started.

"Yeah, I do love those carrot cake biscuits," Ricochet said, his face taking on a dreamy expression.

"Well, I figured that instead of havin' to hurry and get breakfast from that place, I'd bring the folks over to the office to make 'em for ya," Droop-a-Long replied. "Then they'd be real homemade biscuits."

"Is this true?" Ricochet asked, turning to the chefs.

The man that Droop-a-Long had reprimanded nodded. "Yeah. He was nice enough to ask us instead of doing what those outlaws did last month," he said.

"What happened that time?" Droop-a-Long asked, cocking his head in confusion.

"You should remember, Droop. They kidnapped the owners in order to make food for them," Ricochet clarified.

"Ah, right. I plum forgot 'bout that one."

"But still...this is kinda odd, even for you, Droop. Why'd ya go to all this trouble to make biscuits for me?" Ricochet said.

"Well, you were talkin' about them so much this mornin', I figured you probably wanted some," he said. "And I'm not too good at bakin' things, remember?"

Ricochet had to suppress a shudder at that, recalling his deputy's attempt to make a carrot cake for his birthday. "Unfortunately, yes," he said. "So...you planned this all out as a surprise for me?"

"Yeah...but I reckon you're none too happy about it right now. I did wake you up in the middle of the night," Droop-a-Long assumed. His ears lowered in shame.

Ricochet looked at him in surprise. "Are ya kiddin', Droop? This has got to be the nicest thing anybody's ever done for me," he said.

"Y-Ya really mean it?"

"O' course I do. I admit, this is a surprise I never expected, but I ain't about ta throw your hard work out the window," Ricochet said. He gave a smile to his deputy. "Thanks, Droop-a-Long. And thanks to you folks, as well."

"You're welcome, Mr. Ricochet," Droop-a-Long said, and everyone else gave similar statements. "But next time, I think I'll just get 'em for ya instead o' bringin' the chefs here in the middle of the night."

"I agree with that sentiment, Droop," Ricochet agreed, and he and Droop-a-Long laughed.

"So, with that said," the baker said, "you wanna eat one of these biscuits while they're still hot?"

Ricochet smiled. "I thought you'd never ask!" He turned to Droop-a-Long. "Do you have hot coffee, too, Droop?"

Droop-a-Long nodded. "Sure do, Mr. Ricochet. You go on 'n eat yer fill."

"How's 'bout we all eat?" Ricochet said. "I've got a good appetite, but even I can't eat all these here biscuits by myself!"

"You've got that right, Sheriff," one of the bakers said. He pulled out a series of plates. "Well, what're we standin' around here for? The food's gettin' cold!"

With that, everyone made their way to the table, ready to eat and drink their fill long into the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Friends will bring you that one food you've been craving for days. Real friends will bring the actual chefs to your house to make them for you. :D
> 
> The commercial that inspired this was a Hardee's biscuit commercial about how they make homemade biscuits...just not in people's homes. For some reason this took longer than I thought it would, despite it being the shortest of the two stories.


	4. Breaker of Barriers

As a rabbit, the coyote was a natural enemy for Ricochet.

He'd only heard stories of them from his father, and had never really encountered them up close, but he knew that coyotes were dangerous. Conniving, sneaky and charming, they used their wits to lure their prey over to them. And by the time they figured out what was going on, it was too late. So many residents of Ricochet's town had disappeared due to those monsters. His father had a personal grudge against them as one of them had almost attacked his mother when he was a boy.

Growing up, Ricochet had been told that coyotes were to be avoided at all costs, lest he wanted to disappear like so many of his neighbors. And so, that was why he'd never trusted the coyotes; he had to be on his toes whenever he was around them, for those creatures could make a quick meal out of him any moment.

Six years after becoming the town sheriff, he'd gone through three deputies. The first one, a smooth-talking parrot named Pablo, had left his post in order to get married in New Mexico. The second one was a headstrong ox named Arnold, who he'd had to fire because of his unorthodox interrogation methods.

His third deputy was a timid little sheep named Sherman. Ricochet had liked Sherman, but Sherman hadn't liked his job as deputy, in no part due to his fear of blood, and the fact that Ricochet tended to leave him behind often. Eventually, Sherman had quit because the stress was too much for him, leaving Ricochet without a deputy again.

He was told that he'd have to pick a deputy from the nearest town, Shadybrook, as neither Hoop 'n Holler nor Glover Gulch had people eligible for the job. Said nearest town had a heavy population of coyotes. To say that he was not happy about this was an understatement.

"Ricochet, it takes two to take on this town," the mayor said when he'd gone to complain about it. "Besides, I don't think every coyote in the West is a single-minded carnivore."

"I'm pretty sure most of 'em are," Ricochet retorted.

"You don't know that for sure. Who knows, you might meet someone you like over there," the mayor said.

Ricochet still wasn't too happy about it, but he couldn't find a counter for that. _He's got a point,_ he mused. _The last thing I need is a deputy that I can't stand._

"Alright," Ricochet relented. "But don't expect me to come back with one of _them_ as my deputy."

The mayor smirked as Ricochet left. "Hmm...I doubt that."

* * *

Walking through Shadybrook's town square was torture. Ricochet could feel the prying eyes of the coyotes boring into his soul. Occasionally, he would glare back at them, showing that he was no innocent, frightful rabbit that they could mess with. A few blocks into town, the population started to thin out, and he found himself within the human district, which was mixed with a few other animals. He started to breathe a little easier.

Right when he was about to head to the nearest saloon, someone crashed into him. Being much smaller than most of the people around, he was knocked down flat on his back.

"Shuckins, I'm a might sorry about that," someone said. The voice was a little squeaky and cracked in some places, and carried a slow Western drawl.

"That's alright. But watch where you're goin', will ya?" Ricochet picked himself up and looked up into the eyes of the person who had bumped into him. He got a nasty surprise.

Standing front of him was a pink-pelted coyote. Ricochet couldn't see his eyes because they were covered by his large green cowboy hat that drooped a little in the back. Unlike most of the other coyotes he'd seen today, he was very lanky, having little muscular definition, and appeared to be slouching even though he was leaning on nothing at all. His mouth curled into a small smile.

"So, I reckon you must new here, huh?" he asked. "It's rare to see rabbits 'round these parts."

"Gee, I wonder why," Ricochet replied, keeping his guard up.

"Well, mostly 'cause of all the coyotes around," the coyote said, "'cludin' me."

"If you try to lay a paw on me, I'll fill you with so many holes, you'll be Swiss cheese," Ricochet ground out.

"Hey, I ain't gonna eat'cha!" the coyote said. "I couldn't kill other people to save my life."

"I'm glad to hear that," Ricochet said. "Now, if you don't mind, I'm headin' out to the local saloon."

As he turned around to walk away, the coyote said, "So, you're a sheriff, huh? Is there some kinda trouble in your town?"

"Mind your own business," Ricochet snapped, and walked off.

Since he was farther away, he didn't see the coyote's mouth curl downwards into a sad frown. "Shucks...I was jus' tryin' ta be nice..."

"There's no need to be nice to rabbits, Droop-a-Long." Another coyote, this one with brown fur and wearing black and orange, looked up from his paper. "Especially someone like that."

"Well, I wanted to help him out somehow, seein' as everyone else was givin' him mean glares," Droop-a-Long said.

"When will you get it through your head that not everyone's gonna be nice to ya?" the coyote snapped. "Bein' nice to the wrong people can get ya killed. Now come on. If you don't sweep off the porch of the saloon, the owners are gonna get mad at ya."

"Yes, sir." Droop-a-Long sighed. "I sure wish that wasn't true..."

* * *

"I'd like a dry carrot cocktail, please," Ricochet said.

"Comin' up. Kinda rare to see a rabbit in this area," the bartender replied while grabbing the necessary ingredients.

Ricochet remembered what the coyote who'd bumped into him had said. "Yeah, I think I've gotten that."

"What brings you here, sheriff?" the bartender started, eyeing his badge.

"I'm lookin' for a deputy to work with me back in Hoop 'n Holler," Ricochet answered.

"Hoop 'n Holler, huh? That makes sense. That place is a hive for crime," the bartender said, mixing together the ingredients for the carrot cocktail. "There wasn't anybody who could be a deputy back in your town, huh?"

"Nope. The mayor told me to find someone here," he said. "That's gonna be kinda difficult."

The bartender poured the cocktail in its glass and handed it to Ricochet. "'Cause of the coyotes, I reckon?"

"Yeah. I bet you can understand why I'm not lookin' forward to findin' a deputy from here," Ricochet answered. He paused to drink some of his cocktail.

"Well, not every coyote around here is a menace," the bartender said. "There's a fella around here that goes out of his trouble to help people. Everyone calls 'im Droop-a-Long. If ya met him, it wouldn't be hard to see why. He's not the brightest out of the coyote population, but he's definitely the most selfless."

"I find that hard to believe. All my life, I've never heard the words 'coyote' and 'selfless' in the same sentence," Ricochet said, drinking some more of his cocktail.

"Well, you'll find it hard to put 'Droop' and 'selfish' in the same sentence," the bartender said. "However, if you're still set on findin' someone who's not a coyote, there are some rabbits around here. Most of 'em live farther out, though, and they tend to keep to themselves. You'd need a guide to show ya the way."

Ricochet felt the corners of his mouth turn upwards into a smile. Now that was the news he'd been waiting to hear. "Thanks for tellin' me. I was right ready to give up," he said.

"You may not want to head out around nightfall. There's been some crime goin' around that town recently," the bartender replied.

"I'll keep that in mind. Thank goodness I brought enough ammo," Ricochet answered. He then pulled out some dollars and paid for his drink. "Thanks again, sir."

"No problem, sheriff. Good luck."

As Ricochet was leaving the saloon, he saw the pink-pelted coyote from earlier sweeping the steps, humming aloud tunelessly. The sound made Ricochet want to cover his ears. Taking a look around, he realized that the only way he could get any answers from these people was to ask them directly. Sighing, he walked towards the coyote he'd bumped into earlier.

He cleared his throat, and then the coyote turned around. He looked surprised to see him.

"Hey, you're that little rabbit from earlier," he said. "I hope you enjoy yer stay in this town."

"Oh, I don't intend on stayin'," Ricochet replied. "I'm lookin' for someone to be my deputy, and the place I've gotta get to is farther out in these parts. I'd like to get there as soon as possible."

"Are...are you talkin' about headin' to Carrot Top Taverns?" The coyote's mouth turned into a small frown. "That's pushin' it a might much, sir. That town's dangerous."

"And how do you know?" Ricochet asked.

"I used to be a guide to that place," he said. "One time, I got chased off by some gang that calls themselves the Dead Eyes. I've never been back since."

"It's that bad?"

"They've gotta replace guards twice a week," the coyote replied. "You're writin' your own will by goin' out there."

"Do you take me for a coward?" Ricochet ordered. "I ain't afraid of any gangs."

"Of course I don't take ya for one. Ya have to be mighty courageous to be a sheriff," Droop-a-Long said. "I'm jus' warnin' ya so you can be safe."

"As much as I...appreciate your concern, I'm more than capable of holdin' my own," he said. "All I need is a set of directions to get there, and I'll be fine."

The coyote didn't look convinced, but one look at Ricochet's eyes made up his mind. "Well, if you say so," he said. "The town's about fifty miles from here. Horse thieves will take your steed lickety split, so be careful if you're takin' a horse with ya. And I recommend ya have a good bit of weapons, too."

"I have everythin' I need, thanks," Ricochet answered. "Thanks, uh..."

"Oh, it's Droop-a-Long," he said. "Droop-a-Long Coyote."

 _So, he's the Droop-a-Long that the Bartender was talkin' about,_ Ricochet replied. "Well, I'm much obliged to ya. But I'll make it out there on my own, thank you."

"But you can't," Droop-a-Long said. "If you go out there by yourself, you could get hurt."

"If I take you with me, will you stop your fussin'?" Ricochet snapped.

"Sure thing, Mr. Sheriff, sir," Droop-a-Long said. "I'll escort ya as far as the border of the town."

"And how long's it gonna take you to get ready?"

"Well, I have a couple more hours to go on my shift, so after that, I'll be able to take you there," Droop-a-Long answered.

Ricochet had to suppress a groan at that. He didn't need the concern from anybody, especially from a slowpoke coyote, but it seemed he'd have to trust him for now. He only hoped that what the bartender told him was true.

"Alright. I'll meet you back here in a few hours."

* * *

Four hours later, Ricochet was standing outside of the saloon, tapping his foot impatiently. By that time, it was sundown, and the sky was rapidly darkening. The night life started to creep out, and Ricochet had to admit, he was getting a little worried.

"Enjoyin' the view, Mr. Sheriff?"

Ricochet was glad he had looked over first, for he would've shot Droop-a-Long in a heartbeat. The pink-pelted coyote lumbered along in the darkness, coming to a stop a few feet away from him.

"What took ya so long?" he asked.

"Well, work ran a little later than I thought, and then I had to stop by to get a couple more weapons," Droop-a-Long answered. "Sorry that it took so long."

"Just make sure it doesn't happen again," Ricochet said. Not there would be a next time, because after tonight he was never going to see Droop-a-Long again. "We'd better get goin'. It's gettin' dark out."

"I agree, Mr. Sheriff," he said. As he handed Ricochet some of his extra weapons, he cocked his head at the small rabbit. "You got a name, Mr. Sheriff?"

"That doesn't matter much, does it?"

"Well, I'd like to remember people's names, especially if we get into any trouble."

Ricochet sighed. "It's Ricochet. Ricochet Rabbit," he said.

"Shuck, that's a mighty funny name."

"And I suppose 'Droop-a-Long' is the most creative name of all time."

"Well, people call me Droop-a-Long 'cause I tend to lumber along wherever I go. How come they call you Ricochet, Mr. Ricochet?"

Ricochet smirked slightly. "You'll find out if we get into any trouble."

* * *

They didn't get far into their destination before they both picked up trouble. Halfway to the town, Droop-a-Long stopped Ricochet in the middle of the path so abruptly that he was forced to stop.

"What are you doin', Droop-a-Long? We're nowhere near-"

"I smell 'em from here," Droop-a-Long answered. He looked around, shining his lantern around the bleak desert. "They're waitin' for an ambush."

"How can you tell?" Ricochet asked.

"A coyote's nose never fails, Mr. Ricochet."

Ricochet doubted that, but that was when he heard it-the sound of an arrow being pulled taut. Adrenaline taking over, he turned towards the coyote and tackled him to the ground just as an arrow flew overhead. More arrows flew overhead, some of them nearly hitting their marks.

"We've gotta get outta here!" Droop-a-Long shouted, but the rest of his sentence was drowned out by the sound of gunfire. He wanted to scramble to safety, but Ricochet had a strong grip on his upper arms and he couldn't move if he tried.

"Stay down!" Ricochet said. "I'll find an openin' soon enough. And then I'll let 'em have it."

"Be careful, Mr. Ricochet!" Droop-a-Long warned.

"I will be," Ricochet answered, still keeping his head down as bullets and arrows sailed overhead.

When the coast was clear, he turned towards the darkness, and with a twirling of his right foot, he shot off like a bullet, becoming a white and black blur. The force of the winds that followed almost dragged Droop-a-Long with him. The sheriff bounced off of two cacti before slamming into a bulky rabbit who was attempting to take aim at Droop-a-Long, and the outlaw hit the ground with a grunt. Ricochet didn't stop there, and he was soon rebounding off of a rock and into another group of outlaws. Shouts and cries filled the air as the outlaws went down like bowling pins.

"So, that's why he's called Ricochet," Droop-a-Long mused, watching this in awe.

As he was watching, one of the outlaws from earlier took aim at him from the shadows. The gun fired before Droop-a-Long could even move, and the bullet shot off his hat, and sent it pinwheeling through the air. Droop-a-Long's eyes widened.

"Holy moly, they're everywhere!" he gasped. "M-Mr. Ricochet!"

Ricochet screeched to a stop, kicking up dust as he did so. "What is it, Droop-a-Long?! I'm a little busy-"

"MR. RICOCHET, BEHIND YOU!" Droop-a-Long shouted.

As surprising as it was to say, Ricochet Rabbit was too slow. An outlaw grabbed him from behind, and as he was struggling to move, sharp cold steel grazed the right side of his neck, sending white hot pain coursing through him. By the time the outlaw had sent him flying, his vision had already blacked out. He hit the ground with a weak groan and remained still.

"Mr. Ricochet!" Droop-a-Long rushed forwards, jumping on top of the small rabbit in order to shield him from the bullets and knives that continued to fly. He saw the flash of silver in Ricochet's holster, and grabbed the gun. He noticed that the chamber was manufactured differently than most guns, but that became the least of his concerns as the outlaws were ganging up on him fast. Jumping up, he positioned himself in front of the unconscious sheriff. He stood his ground as the outlaws, all of them tough looking rabbits and humans, emerged from the shadows.

"D-Don't y'all come any closer!" he said, weakly raising his gun arm, which was shaking.

"Hey, it's that guide from a couple of months ago!" One of the rabbits, who was covered in black fur and was three feet taller than Ricochet, snickered. "We can take him on!"

"Yeah, he can join his dead pal, too!" a man said, and they all laughed as they started to come closer. Droop-a-Long backed up, and he almost stumbled over Ricochet. He looked down at the small rabbit, who still remained on the ground face first, motionless, his eyes shut tight and the cut in his neck dripping with blood.

Dead. The mere thought that Ricochet was dead because of these people made Droop-a-Long's blood boil with anger. His hand trembled even more, but this time not out of fear. The outlaws laughed even more at this.

"Aw, what's the matter? Are you gonna go home cryin' to Mama?" one man taunted.

"With his pink fur, he looks like a mama's-"

Nobody was prepared for what happened next. With a fast hand, Droop-a-Long took aim and opened fire at each of the men. The bullets that launched from the gun's barrel skidded to a stop in front of the men before opening up to reveal a pair of metal arms with boxing gloves. Before anybody could move, the arms landed deadly blows to their faces, punching them with enough force to send them flying back several feet. To Droop-a-Long's surprise, the bullets gave chase, the mechanical arms cracking their knuckles as they did so. The outlaws took off, holding their bruised faces as they ran into the darkness, screaming in terror.

When he was certain that they were gone, Droop-a-Long turned towards Ricochet and knelt on the ground, turning him over. He pressed his two fingers against the his throat, and could have cried with relief when he felt a pulse. It was weak, though, and he knew he had to hurry if he was going to save his life. Untying his neckerchief, he wrapped it around Ricochet's neck to staunch the bleeding, and then he picked him up and walked back towards town. He was dazed, still not believing what he had just done-or more importantly, what he had just seen.

"What kind of sheriff is he, anyway?" he muttered. He looked down at Ricochet, sighing. "No matter. The sooner I get him to the doc's, the better."

* * *

"So, how long do ya reckon...?" For some reason, Droop-a-Long found that he couldn't finish the sentence.

"How long will he be in here?" the doctor finished for him. He looked over at Ricochet, who was lying in bed. Droop-a-Long's neckerchief had been exchanged for bandages that went from the base of his neck to his chin. "A couple of weeks, I bet. He's either the luckiest rabbit alive, or the most stubborn."

Droop-a-Long sighed. "I'd reckon he's lucky. His guns have bullets that have boxin' gloves in 'em. They made short work of them outlaws."

The doctor looked at him quizzically. "Boxing gloves? In bullets?"

"I used the gun myself, Doc. They took off after those bullets punched 'em," Droop-a-Long said. "I've never seen a gun like his before."

"Guess he made it himself. You don't get guns like those anywhere in these parts," the doctor said.

"So...what do I do now?" Droop-a-Long asked.

"Well, I guess the only thing you can do now is wait for him to wake up," the doctor said. "Now, I reckon you'd better get home, Droop-a-Long. You know how your boss-"

"No." Droop-a-Long's reply was firm. "I'm stayin' here 'til he wakes up."

"But...you told me how he treated you." The doctor stared at him in surprise. "And your boss will fire you."

"I know. But I want him to know jus' who saved his life tonight," Droop-a-Long said. "If he doesn't wake up today, I'll come back 'til he does."

The doctor started at him, utterly surprised. He knew Droop-a-Long just as everyone else did in town, and he had never known him to be this adamant about anything. But he saw the fire in that half-lidded gaze, and he knew that there was no point in trying to argue with the coyote.

"Alright, Droop. Take a spare seat over there. You're gonna be in for a long wait."

* * *

Pain was the first thing that Ricochet felt when he woke up. Groaning, he pried open his eyelids and almost immediately closed them because of the blinding sunlight that entered his eyes. Through that brief first glimpse, he caught sight of wooden walls, as well as a man in a white suit and who appeared to be wearing a stethoscope around his neck. He blinked, trying to get the burning pain out of his eyes. It took a little under a minute for him to see clearer.

He also felt coolness under him. Looking at his surroundings, he assumed that he was in the town's hospital. The disinfectant that filled his nostrils confirmed it, and he noticed that there were a few other patients in the room as well, also stretched out on beds and being checked up on by a few nurses. The memories of the ambush flooded his mind, and for a split second, his mind was flooded with panic.

How long had it been since he'd been attacked? It could have been two or three days. _Hoop 'n Holler must've already found another sheriff by now_ , he thought. _The mayor probably thought somethin' happened to me..._

Just then the door opened, and the doctor looked up from one of his patients to address whoever had opened the door. "Oh, Droop-a-Long, you're here early," he said. "I thought you were getting off later tonight."

"I was s'pposed to, but my boss was nice enough to let me leave early so I can check up on the sheriff."

Ricochet was surprised by this news. Droop-a-Long was still around? He had thought that the coyote had been captured by the outlaws, or killed as he almost had been. He had to admit, he was interested in learning how in the world he survived against all of those outlaws.

"Shucks, I told you he'd wake up today!" Droop-a-Long's face filled Ricochet's in a matter of seconds. "Welcome back, Mr. Ricochet. For a moment, I thought you were a goner."

Ricochet couldn't help but smile. "I've been through worse," he croaked out before coughing.

"Oh, ya shouldn't talk while you've still got those bandages on ya," Droop-a-Long said. "It's the doctor's orders, not mine." He sighed, and then took off his hat, revealing a worried pair of green eyes.

"You...you have _eyes_?!" Ricochet sputtered. "I thought you were blind!"

Droop-a-Long shrugged. "I get that a lot. But I've always had eyes, Mr. Ricochet. This here hat that my ma made for me jus' falls over my eyes. I can see through it well enough, though."

"Oh...sorry, I-I didn't mean to make ya feel bad..."

"Shucks, it's nothin'. Are ya feelin' alright, Mr. Ricochet?"

"No, not really. My neck really hurts," he said. "Then again, that's to be expected, since I got slashed."

"Yeah..." Droop-a-Long's ears folded down slightly. "I feel like I'm responsible for ya bein' in here. If I had warned ya sooner, you would've had your deputy by now and you would've left."

"That's true," Ricochet said. His plans had been compromised after all. "But I don't think it was your fault. You were able to smell 'em out when I couldn't hear any of 'em until it was too late." He managed a weak derisive laugh. "I guess that's what I deserve for rushin' into a situation."

"Not like I can blame ya. I mean, you're a rabbit in a town that's mostly full of coyotes. If I was you, I'd think twice before steppin' foot into this town," Droop-a-Long replied. "To be honest, I'm thinkin' of leavin' this place."

"You are, eh?"

"Yeah. I haven't been anywhere other than Carrot Top Taverns. And you saw how that went. Thing is, I don' know if I can even get another job. I'm jus' too slow ta do things. I've been dreamin' that I could be a real sheriff like you, Mr. Ricochet. But..." Here, Droop-a-Long gave his own derisive chuckle. "I'm silly to think that'll happen, ain't I?"

"That ain't silly. In fact, the only thing that's silly is you thinkin' that won't happen," Ricochet said.

Droop-a-Long stared at him in shock. "S-Sir, I..."

"Look, Droop-a-Long, I've been told all my life that I would never be a sheriff. They told me I was too small, that I would never stand out among the men and other people who were sheriffs," he said. "And ya know what I did?"

"What did ya do, Mr. Ricochet?"

"I proved 'em wrong. My small size means I can run much faster than any man in the West. My wits keep me on top of whatever trick they're plannin'. And my tinkerin' with guns allowed me to do all sorts of darin' captures," Ricochet said. "In time, I did manage to stand out among the other sheriffs."

"Shucks, that's mighty nice to know, Mr. Ricochet," Droop-a-Long answered. "But...do you think the same thing will happen to me?"

"I'm sure it will," he said. "If someone like me can be a sheriff, I'm pretty sure you can, too."

"Thanks a bunch, Mr. Ricochet," Droop-a-Long said, smiling. Then he cocked his head to the side. "How come you've had a change of attitude?"

"Whaddya mean?"

"Well, three days ago, you were sourer than week-old milk. Now, you're givin' me advice. I'm not tryin' to sound rude or nothin'; I jus' wanna know."

"Three days?" Ricochet stared at him in surprise. "Gosh, I'm surprised I'm not gone by now."

"That's because I was changin' your bandages, Mr. Ricochet, and makin' sure the wound was clean," Droop-a-Long said. "That, and I stopped the bleedin' after I chased off them outlaws."

"You mean...you saved my life?" Ricochet asked.

"Yeah. I grabbed your gun and fired at those outlaws after they slit your throat. They got roughed up by 'em real bad," Droop-a-Long answered. "They had boxin' gloves and everythin'! It was like watchin' a live boxin' match!"

"That's my Sock 'Em Revolver," Ricochet answered. "It took me months to modify that thing to make it work right."

"Some people were tryin' to steal it, so I had to bury it under your pillow when the doc wasn't lookin'."

"Guns aren't allowed in a hospital, Droop-a-Long."

Droop-a-Long's mouth curled into a smirk. "I know that."

Ricochet couldn't help but smile. "You're a sneaky one, Droop-a-Long," he said.

"You're one to talk about sneaky, Mr. Ricochet," Droop-a-Long said. "Puttin' boxin' gloves in bullets is real clever."

"I've gotta admit, you're pretty observant."

The doctor came over to Droop-a-Long then. "Droop-a-Long, I'll have to examine Ricochet now. After that, he's gotta get some rest if he's gonna recover."

"Oh, right. I plum forgot about visitin' hours endin' soon," Droop-a-Long said. He then turned to Ricochet. "Well, I'll have to leave ya, Mr. Ricochet. Don't need to tire you out with all my ramblin'."

"You weren't tirin' me out at all, Droop-a-Long," Ricochet said. "In fact, I feel so energized that I don't feel like sleepin'."

"Trust me, you'll feel like sleeping in a few hours," the doctor replied.

Droop-a-Long placed his hat on his head, pausing to adjust it slightly. "Well, I'm off, fellers. Have a good evenin'," he said.

"Wait a moment, Droop-a-Long!" Ricochet called out, slightly louder than necessary.

Droop-a-Long came closer. "What is it, Mr. Ricochet?"

Ricochet pulled out his arm from under the covers and extended it to him. "Thanks. Thanks for savin' my life."

Droop-a-Long stared at his hand for a few seconds, as if not believing what he was seeing. Then a smile spread across his face as he looked at Ricochet and grasped his hand and part of his forearm with his large paw.

"You're welcome, Mr. Ricochet," Droop-a-Long answered. "I wouldn't have left ya out there alone."

After letting go of Ricochet's hand, he nodded goodbyes to the sheriff and the doctor, and then left the room. As soon as he closed the door, the doctor turned towards Ricochet.

"I hadn't figured that Droop-a-Long was so...different from the coyotes I've heard about," Ricochet said.

"Heh, I reckon he's grown on ya. He does on everybody, after all," the doctor said. As he pulled out his items to examine Ricochet, he asked, "You're still gonna look for a deputy after you get out, right?"

"Actually," Ricochet answered, "I reckon I know just who would be perfect as my deputy..."

* * *

_Four weeks later..._

"Droop, I can't believe you're finally going to leave town!"

"Yeah! So, you're gonna be a deputy, huh? Sounds excitin'."

"After years of lumberin' around here, you need some excitement."

These words and more were the only things that Droop-a-Long heard after he got the letter in the mail. It had been a week since Ricochet Rabbit, the sheriff of Hoop 'n Holler, had been completely healed of his wounds and had to set back off to town to assure the mayor that he wasn't dead. Despite spending only three weeks in the town, Ricochet and Droop-a-Long had become inseparable friends. Ricochet had taught Droop-a-Long about how to use guns (which was still a work in progress), while Droop-a-Long had taught him how to be more observant of his surroundings. When they weren't helping each other, they spent the day drinking coffee, playing card games, and talking nonstop.

Their friendship was the talk of the town, as it ought to be in a town where such things rarely happened. Some people had thought something seedier was going on, but both Ricochet and Droop-a-Long firmly reassured that their friendship was genuine, and would defend it from naysayers.

Ricochet's departure was the saddest day of Droop-a-Long's life, as Ricochet was the first best friend he'd made in years. And even though he probably would never admit it, Ricochet was just as sad to leave his newfound friend. Here was a coyote who had saved his life when he was at his most stubborn, who had reached out to him in kindness and concern when nobody else would, who had proven him wrong about all coyotes being mindless monsters...and now he had to leave.

But it was then that he remembered that their separation was only temporary. He still promised to keep in touch with letters, and had added, with a little smile, that he would get his first letter from him soon.

A week had passed, and Droop-a-Long was starting to settle back into the routine of town life when his mother had gotten a letter that had sent her screaming for joy. It took a long time for him to get the letter to see what she was so happy about. What he'd read had rendered him speechless. In fact, he'd had to read it five times to make sure he'd understood everything.

The letter that had come in was for him, sent by the mayor of Hoop 'n Holler, and it said that he was going to be appointed as Ricochet's new deputy.

He hadn't known what to think at that. On one hand, he was overjoyed as he would finally leave town and take his first steps of being a real sheriff. He'd also be able to work alongside his new friend and rustle up criminals. But on the other hand, he was worried. He'd never had any experience in being a deputy, and he was extremely clumsy and slow. What if he couldn't keep up with Ricochet? What if he was fired for a mistake, no matter how small?

That was before he had read the back of the letter, which was written in blocky handwriting. It was a letter from Ricochet, who had apparently taken a loop around and attached his letter on the back of the official statement.

_Hey, Droop,_

_I know you're wondering why I didn't use another sheet of paper, or just send you another letter. Well, I'm kinda short on paper, so I decided to just scribble down a note on the back of the official statement._ _I know you must be bursting with excitement, Droop-a-Long...though to be honest, I don't quite see you doing that. And I bet you're surprised because you told me before that I already had a deputy picked out. I did, and you were the first person that came to mind; I just didn't want to tell you, since you'd probably try to refuse. If you think I'm doing this out of pity, I'm gonna tell you that you're wrong, Droop. I understood how hard you were working, but I also thought about the type of deputy I'd have. To me, a deputy has to be faithful, loyal and never afraid to speak his mind. He should also be just as brave as the sheriff he's working with, and he's kind to everyone he meets, but firm when it comes to the law._

_The reason I chose you, Droop, is because you showed all of those qualities during the three weeks I was in Shadybrook. You had every right to leave me for dead after the way I treated you, but you didn't. You had every right to be mean to me, but you didn't. When I was rude, you were kind. When I insisted on going alone, you insisted on going with me. When the enemy came around, you showed your courage by saving us both. When I was hurt, you took me back to town and got a doctor. And when the doctor told you to go home for the night, you said you'd stay to make sure I was alright. You even came back day after day, even after I woke up, to check on me._

_Nobody else ever did that for me, and I grew up in a town full of rabbits like me. I realized, sitting in that room, that I was wrong before about coyotes and how they act. You proved that everybody, even natural enemies, can be kind. Which reminds me, I forgot to say sorry for how I treated you before. You didn't deserve to be treated like that. Nobody deserves to._

_Oh, and one last thing before I go: no matter what anybody says, you don't have to be perfect to be a deputy. You're gonna make mistakes. I've made mistakes. But the most important thing is we learn from them and we move on, and do better the next time around._

_See you in town in a week, Droop. I'll be waiting for ya._

_Your pal,_

_Ricochet_

Droop-a-Long had to admit, he'd gotten teary after reading that letter. It was so touching to know that his friend cared, and that he had chosen him of all people to be his deputy. Apparently, Ricochet had seen something in him that had made him choose Droop-a-Long instead of a human or a rabbit.

He couldn't help but chuckle at this. He, a slow moving, clumsy, and forgetful coyote, was going to be a deputy to a fast-paced, prideful, and hot-headed rabbit. By all rights, it was truly an "opposites attract" friendship. By all rights, they should've hated each other. But instead, they'd found good friends in each other, regardless of their outside appearance.

And to be honest, it was much better than the alternative.

**The End**


	5. Rapid Romance

"Here's your coffee, Sheriff," Droop-a-Long said, pushing a cup of coffee on Ricochet's desk.

"Hmm? Oh, thank you, Droop-a-Long," Ricochet said without looking up at him. He was engrossed in reading a letter that his brother had sent him. "Oh, an' by the way, someone's sent a letter for ya."

He was grateful then that he was wearing his hat, or else Ricochet would've seen his eyes widen in shock. "Who's it from?"

"Don't know. The person didn't write their name on it," Ricochet said. Still reading his letter, he used one hand to rummage through the letters. He pulled out a plain white one and handed it to Droop-a-Long. "Reckon it might be personal or a scam."

After taking the letter from Ricochet, Droop-a-Long opened the letter by breaking the seal on the back. Pulling it open, he encountered beautiful, swirling cursive. He felt a smile tug on his face, as he knew just who'd written to him.

_My dear Droop-a-Long,_

_I've just received your last letter; sorry I wasn't able to answer for the last few weeks. I caught the flu and I didn't have the energy to write for a long time. I nearly freaked out when my mother wanted to know about the letter you sent me. It took a lot of convincing, but she didn't open the letter and read it aloud (which is what she always does when she receives mail). It's a good thing as well; that picture you sent me would've revealed our secret relationship to everyone!_

_And speaking of that picture, you and your nephew, Tag-a-Long, look so adorable together! I've also noticed that Ricochet was there as well; give him my regards, if you can, but just remember to not reveal too much about me._

_I miss you a lot, Droopy. It's been a good few months since I've left Oregon due to Father's business. Oh, if only I could bring you to meet him. He would have no trouble with you. It's my mother that I'm worried about. She'd disown me if I brought you here. So, in order to answer your question from your last letter, I'm afraid you'll have to wait a little longer to visit me. Or, when I'm up to it, I'll sneak away and make my way back to see you. If my mother has a problem with it, she can bring me back herself._

_I look forward to reading your next letter-and seeing more pictures._

_Love,_

_Denise_

Droop-a-Long folded the letter with a dreamy sigh, feeling light off his feet at reading this new letter. "I'm glad to hear that," he said.

"What're you glad to hear, Droop?" Ricochet finally looked up from his own pile of letters to address his deputy.

"Oh, I jus' got a letter from someone special, Mr. Ricochet," Droop-a-Long answered dreamily.

"Someone special, eh?" Ricochet repeated, a sly smirk on his face. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you've got yourself a sweetheart, Droop-a-Long."

"Yeah. She's the most wonderful girl I've ever met," he said. "Shucks, I feel like a teenager again."

"Okay, no need to get moony, Droop," Ricochet replied, making a face. "So, who is the lucky lady?"

Droop-a-Long's happy mood was gone in a flash. "Y-You really wanna know, Mr. Ricochet?"

"Of course I wanna know. You seem like you're really in love with her," Ricochet answered. Upon seeing his deputy's face, he frowned. "She's not any trouble, is she?"

Droop-a-Long balked. "I can't believe you'd say that about her, Mr. Ricochet!"

This definitely surprised Ricochet, as Droop-a-Long never got this defensive over anybody. "Well, if she's not any trouble, and she doesn't have a record, who is she then?"

Droop-a-Long gulped. He'd been dreading to tell Ricochet this for months. He knew that sooner or later the sheriff would get curious and attempt to pry answers out of him. And with Ricochet's inquisitive nature, Droop-a-Long couldn't help but feel as though he were in the hot seat.

"Droop-a-Long..." Ricochet cocked his head quizzically at his deputy. "Is everythin' alright?"

"Y-Yeah...sorry, Mr. Ricochet. I was jus' hit by nerves, that's all," Droop-a-Long replied.

"What are you nervous about?" Ricochet asked, frowning.

"Um...Mr. Ricochet...does the name 'Denise Falconeri' ring any bells?" Droop-a-Long asked.

"Of course it does. She was my former girlfrien-" Ricochet's eyes widened in shock as he realized just what Droop-a-Long was saying. He stared at Droop-a-Long for a long moment, and the coyote started to back out of the room.

"Uh...I'd better take care of the mornin' chores, Mr. Ricochet," Droop-a-Long said nervously, and quickly backed out of the door.

No sooner had he gotten on the porch than Ricochet yelled: "OH, NO YOU DON'T! DROOP-A-LONG COYOTE, GET BACK IN HERE! YOU'VE GOT SOME EXPLAININ' TO DO!"

That day, all of Hoop 'n Holler was surprised to learn just how fast Droop-a-Long could run.

* * *

_Several hours later..._

"Now, Droop-a-Long," Ricochet said calmly, drinking some coffee, "I believe you've got some explainin' to do."

Droop-a-Long sighed. "Of course, Mr. Ricochet."

"So, when did you and my former girlfriend start seein' each other?"

"It was after we caught Sam Jose," Droop-a-Long answered. "I helped her out with a couple of packages while I was makin' my way back to the office, she invited me to dinner afterwards to repay me, and well...me and her took a likin' to each other. O'course, when we first started seein' each other, we had to sneak away. Her mother don't like coyotes much."

"Oh, really?" Ricochet replied. "That must've been difficult to deal with."

"It sure was. But that didn't bother us none. It was actually kind of nice, sneakin' out to meet each other under the stars."

"So that's why you were gone in the middle of the night."

"Yeah. But then she had to move to California for her dad's job, and her ma wanted her to go. Since then, we've been in touch through letter."

"Well, isn't that nice?" Ricochet grumbled, dumping a huge scoop of sugar into his coffee.

"Why do ya say that, Mr. Ricochet?"

"Because she left me for someone else."

"That's funny."

Ricochet turned to glare at Droop-a-Long. "You really think it is?"

"Not funny as in laugh out loud funny. I meant funny as in, 'That's strange' funny. She told me that you two were supposed to get married," Droop-a-Long replied. "But you left her at the altar, Mr. Ricochet, to chase after some outlaw. And you never came back."

"Now when did I-oh. _Oh_ ," Ricochet said, and winced when he remembered that incident. "Shucks, I must've been the worst rabbit in the West to her after that."

"You were," Droop-a-Long pointed out. Upon getting another glare from the sheriff, he added feebly, "B-But she forgave ya later, Mr. Ricochet."

Ricochet sighed. "I still can't believe you hid this from me, Droop-a-Long. We tell each other just about everything!"

"Well, I was goin' to. I figured me and her were jus' gonna be friends. But when things got serious, we decided to keep the truth from everyone."

"Includin' me?" Ricochet asked.

"Yeah, includin' you. It's not that I don't trust ya, Mr. Ricochet. I was afraid how you were gonna act, knowin' how you get about your girls and all..."

"I should leave you tied up in a corner, Droop, for all this sneakin' around and keepin' secrets from me. But seein' as you're happy with her, and she's happy with you...I can't get too angry at ya," Ricochet answered. "'sides, I'd rather not make her mad at me again. And I know I can trust her with you."

"Shucks, thanks, Mr. Ricochet," Droop-a-Long said.

"Now, this goes without sayin', Droop-a-Long," Ricochet said, "but if you do anythin' to hurt her, I'm gonna bury you fifty feet under. And that's after I skin you alive. Is that clear?"

"Crystal clear, Mr. Ricochet," Droop-a-Long said.

"Good." Ricochet paused to drink the rest of his coffee. "I'm glad we understand each other."

"Yeah...so, um, now that we do," Droop-a-Long started, "can ya untie me now? I reckon the patrons are startin' to think I'm a criminal."

Ricochet turned around, saw the customers of the diner looking at him, and then turned back to his tied up deputy with a sheepish smile. "Sure thing, Droop. But I really had no other option but to use a lasso to stop ya."

"I never thought I'd run faster than Ricochet Rabbit," Droop-a-Long chuckled.

"...You got lucky 'cause you had a head start."

**The End**


	6. I'll Keep Ya Warm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When the fire goes out in the middle of a snowstorm, Ricochet turns to Droop-a-Long for a heat source.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was in the mood for somethin' light and fluffy when I wrote this little short. It was inspired by the 100 Ways to Say I Love You series of prompts, but there's no Ricochet/Droop-a-Long shipping in this story. 
> 
> Plus, mischievous Droop-a-Long is best Droop-a-Long. And embarrassed Ricochet is best Ricochet :)

Ricochet groaned as he looked out the window. Already, the skies were becoming cloudy, and he could see the first few wisps of snow start to fly in through the howling winds. Many of the residents of Hoop 'n Holler were scrambling to get inside their homes before the storm got worse.

"So, they weren't kiddin' about a snowstorm comin' in," he said. Ricochet turned to see Droop-a-Long pouring coffee into two metal mugs. "Well, looks like we're gonna have to bear it, Droop. The snowstorm's supposed to get worse."

Droop-a-Long let out a groan. "Shucks, I don't think we have a lot of firewood to keep ourselves warm," he said, turning to the measly logs of wood that sat near the fireplace.

"I thought you had gotten enough wood!"

"Well, you said that it wouldn't snow, Mr. Ricochet. You even bet your lucky rabbit's foot on it," Droop-a-Long pointed out.

"Oh, for the love of-" Ricochet rubbed his face with his paw in frustration. "...well, it looks like we're gonna have to make do with what we have."

"Sorry, Mr. Ricochet. I didn't mean for this to happen," Droop-a-Long said sadly.

"Shucks, Droop-a-Long, you're not entirely to blame. I shoulda listened to the warnin's that were goin' around," Ricochet replied.

"But what if the wood burns up, or the fire goes out, Mr. Ricochet?" Droop-a-Long answered. "You've told me that you're none too fond of cold weather."

"Let's hope that it doesn't get to that, Droop," Ricochet answered. "Now, come on. We'd better sit around the fire while we still can. It's gonna get right nippy soon enough."

"You take the chair closest to the fire, Mr. Ricochet. I'll take the other one," Droop-a-Long said, bringing over a cup to Ricochet.

Ricochet picked up his spoon and stared in shock as the coffee stuck to it like toffee. "Thanks, Droop. That's mighty considerate of ya," he said. _Can't say much about the coffee, though..._

* * *

A few hours later, both Ricochet and Droop-a-Long had dozed off by the fireplace, sleeping in opposite chairs. But Ricochet had a feeling that something was wrong when he awoke to a dreadful chill. He pried open his eyes and saw that the whole office was dark. To his growing panic, the fire had gone out in the fireplace.

 _Oh, great,_ he thought. _I should've had a back-up plan or somethin'. We'll freeze to death in here!  
_

He heard a loud snore come from Droop-a-Long, and he almost chuckled. "Droop-a-Long can sleep through jus' about anythin'," he said. The wind that howled outside brought a draft through the cracks in the wall, and he shivered. "B-But I sure can't..."

There was a loud snort, and Droop-a-Long mumbled, "What were ya sayin', Mr. Ricochet?"

"N-Nothin', Droop-a-Long," Ricochet said, trying to control his shivers. "I didn't mean to wake ya. You head on back to sleep."

"Shucks, the fire's gone out," Droop-a-Long said. "No wonder I felt a little cold."

"S-S-So did I," Ricochet replied. "G-Great, it's gettin' so cold in here that I-I'm chatterin'. It's too dangerous to go out and search for firewood."

"Well, then, I'll keep ya warm, Mr. Ricochet. After all, a deputy's gotta help the sheriff." Droop-a-Long's feet slapped the ground as he got out of the chair. "And I don't want ya to freeze."

Ricochet tensed. Having grown up in a house with many older siblings, he knew that 'keeping people warm' meant sleeping in a giant pile. He hated it, what with how he would always have a dislodged shoulder or a foot in his face. But with Droop-a-Long's large size and clumsiness, the coyote could end up accidentally crushing him.

"Wait just a moment, Droop-a-Long," he started, backing into the chair.

"Don't worry, Mr. Ricochet. I'm not gonna do anythin' crazy. You can jus' sleep next to me in the chair and wrap yourself up in a blanket," Droop-a-Long answered.

Ricochet sighed, relieved to hear that. "Well, when ya put it that way, I guess it doesn't sound too bad," he said. He picked up his pillow and got down from his chair. "But if you try to hold me in your sleep, you'll be sleepin' on the floor, Droop."

"Got it, Mr. Ricochet," Droop-a-Long said.

Ricochet waited for Droop-a-Long to get settled in his large rocking chair before he joined him, setting up his pillow so he'd be propped up. Droop-a-Long draped the covers over himself and Ricochet, and then he yawned.

"Good night, Mr. Ricochet," he said.

"Goodnight, Droop," Ricochet replied. No sooner had he settled into the covers than Droop-a-Long started snoring again.

Ricochet had to admit that Droop-a-Long was extremely warm, to the point where he was pretty much a living heater. How was the coyote so warm, especially in this weather? Sighing, he moved a little closer to his deputy in an attempt to get some more warmth. He was starting to close his eyes when Droop-a-Long suddenly shifted his arm and draped it around Ricochet, pressing him close to his side. Ricochet sighed, but he didn't bother tossing him on the floor like he said he would earlier. His eyes drooped closed again, and he fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

The next morning, Droop-a-Long awoke to both freezing cold and fluffy warmth. He looked out the window, and saw some snow laying on the ground. "Shucks, it's been a while since I've seen desert snow," he remarked. "Hey, Mr. Ricochet, you oughta-"

He stopped right there when he turned to see Ricochet. Rather than sitting propped up on the pillow like he had planned to, Ricochet was curled up next to Droop-a-Long, his short arms wrapped around the coyote's waist and snoring. His cowboy hat had fallen off and rested on Droop-a-Long's lap, and he smiled contentedly in his sleep, his whiskers twitching occasionally.

Droop-a-Long had to stifle a chuckle at this. Ricochet looked so adorable that he was half-tempted to pet him behind the ears, although he thought twice about that. The sheriff was sensitive about people touching his head, and if he discovered his deputy petting him, Droop-a-Long was going to deal with far more than a foul-tempered Ricochet.

"Mr. Ricochet? Time to wake up," he said, gently nudging the sheriff.

Ricochet's response was to grumble and bury himself deeper in Droop-a-Long's fur. "Is it important, Droop?" he groaned.

"I wanted ya to see the snow," Droop-a-Long answered.

"That's not important, Droop-a-Long. 'sides, I hate snow."

Ricochet's flimsy excuse made Droop-a-Long snicker. "I reckon you're right comfortable, Mr. Ricochet," he teased.

One eye cracked open and glared up at him. "I ain't _that_ comfortable, Droop-a-Long," Ricochet snarled.

"Says the person who's all snug as a bug next to-OW!" Droop-a-Long rubbed the spot on his upper arm where Ricochet had punched him. "Sorry, Mr. Ricochet. I was jus' havin' fun with ya."

"If you tell anybody about this, I'm gonna deny it," Ricochet said, moving away from Droop-a-Long and scooping up his cowboy hat.

"Oh, I won't tell," Droop-a-Long promised.

"Good." Ricochet grumbled as he got out of the chair. "I can't believe I did that, in my sleep no less..."

The opportunity was too good to pass up. Biting back another snicker, Droop-a-Long said, "You know, you should try bein' cute a little more often, Mr. Ricochet."

Ricochet's bristled expression was priceless. "...I shoulda tossed you on the floor."

Droop-a-Long couldn't help but burst into laughter.

**The End**


	7. Breakfast Bedlam

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 7 of this little anthology is once again lighthearted. Granted, it won't be warm and fluffy and full of adorable Ricochet, but it's got some humor.

Upon hearing a loud, elephant-like sneeze come from Ricochet's room, Droop-a-Long mused, "Yep, he's not goin' anywhere for a week." He then continued to mix the ingredients he'd gathered in a large mixing bowl, humming tunelessly.

Yesterday, Ricochet had been sneezing a lot and developing a nasty cough, as well as tiring out a lot faster than he normally did. When Droop-a-Long had asked if he was alright, Ricochet had told him not to worry about it and that he'd be better in the morning. Although Droop-a-Long was worried about his friend, he knew that there were times where he should let the rabbit have his way.

Now he felt a little guilty that he had listened. His fever had confirmed his worst fears: the sheriff had caught a cold, possibly from that last outlaw they'd captured. He wouldn't be going anywhere for a week, possibly two. And knowing Ricochet, he would not like being fussed over while he was sick.

This week wasn't going to be easy, that was certain.

He added the chopped carrots into the brown mixture, and upon taking another look at the recipe, he added in a pinch of salt into the mixture. "I reckon Mr. Ricochet's gonna like this here breakfast cake," he said. He turned on the stove, and was about to search for a pan to pour the cake in when he heard Ricochet croak from upstairs.

"Droop-a-Long? Are ya down there?" he shouted.

"I'll be right up, Mr. Ricochet," Droop-a-Long yelled back. He then looked at the stove and then saw the frying pan hanging on the wall. "It'll cook much faster if I cook it in a fryin' pan." He turned on the eye, put in a little dab of oil, and poured in most of the cake mixture.

"Droop-a-Long!" Ricochet shouted.

"I'm-a comin'!" Droop-a-Long set the bowl on the table and wiped his hands on his apron before heading upstairs. He opened the door to Ricochet's room, pausing to come in quietly. "You needed somethin', Mr. Ricochet?"

Ricochet sat propped up in bed, his sheets covered with tissues and a half-eaten bowl of soup on the nightstand. His eyes were a bit red, a sign that he hadn't slept much last night. "Yeah. I'd like my paperwork from downstairs," he said.

"You need your rest, Mr. Ricochet," Droop-a-Long answered. "Ya won't get better if you're workin' as usual."

Ricochet frowned, and then he cleared his throat. "How can I when there are outlaws to outsmart, renegades to rustle and-"

_BOOM!_

Both Ricochet and Droop-a-Long froze upon hearing the explosion. Droop-a-Long turned to face the stairs. "And things are explodin' downstairs?" he finished.

He had no time to even move before Ricochet shot past him in a white blur, the force dragging him downstairs. He fell facefirst on the ground, and something sticky met his muzzle. A quick sample with his tongue revealed that it was the cake batter he'd made earlier that morning.

"Uh-oh," he groaned.

 _"DROOP-A-LONG!"_ Ricochet's roar could've been heard from another state. He turned to face Droop-a-Long with an angry expression on his face, and pointed to the walls, floor and stove, all of which were covered with sticky, half-cooked cake batter. "What is the meanin' of this?!"

"W-Well, I-"

"I can't even spend a day in peace without worryin' about you tryin' to get us killed! What were ya thinkin', leavin' a pan full of batter on the stove?! What kind of batter is this anyway?"

"It...it was cake batter, Mr. Ricochet," Droop-a-Long said. "I reckon I put in a bit too much bakin' powder."

"You don't bake cake in a fryin' pan, Droop!" Ricochet slapped himself in the forehead at this. "Ugh, I would choose the wrong time to get sick..."

Droop-a-Long felt his hopes sink, and his ears drooped downwards. "Shucks, I'm sorry, Mr. Ricochet...I-I was just tryin' to surprise ya," he said. "It was supposed to be a breakfast cake."

Ricochet looked ready to yell some more, but he stopped upon hearing what Droop-a-Long was saying. "You were tryin' to surprise me?" he asked.

"Well, you ate a lot of puddin' and donuts the last time you were sick, so I figured that you would like a cake this time 'round," Droop-a-Long answered. "But the last time, I let the cake burn in the oven. So I was gonna cook it like a pancake...and then..."

Ricochet sighed upon seeing his deputy's sorrowful expression. "Aw, don't get too upset, Droop," he said. "It was mighty thoughtful of ya to try to make another cake for me. But..."

"You'd rather not have the place explode?" Droop-a-Long finished.

"Exactly. How's about you get me those homemade carrot cake biscuits from the diner across town?" Ricochet said. "We can share 'em for breakfast."

"I guess that'll be nice," Droop-a-Long said.

"Good. But before ya go, there's one thing you need to do." Ricochet started to head towards the other room in the office.

"And what's that, Mr. Ricochet?"

Ricochet returned a few moments later with a bucket and a brush. "You're gonna clean this up," he said, fixing his deputy with a stern glare.

Droop-a-Long sighed as he took the bucket and brush. "Right away, Mr. Ricochet."

**The End**

**Author's Note:**

> There really aren't any fics with Ricochet or Droop-a-Long. *sigh* 
> 
> As with every writer, I have different interpretations of these guys' personalities, mostly gathered from watching the Magilla Gorilla show over. So please don't be too mad if my interpretations are different from yours :)
> 
> My interpretation of Ricochet is that he's a bit more flawed than what the cartoon lets in on. He tends to fall prey to his pride, as he's a bit arrogant at times, and he's got a hot temper that doesn't take a lot to bring out, not to mention being just a little impulsive. For all his flaws, however, he is a genuinely nice guy who does his best to uphold the law and is a good guy all around. Just avoid his buttons. :) There are other sides of Ricochet that we'll be seeing, too.
> 
> Droop-a-Long, who was pretty much the Butt Monkey in the original series, has more going on than what the cartoon lets in on, too. Because of his slowness, he tends to be a little more observant of things, but he just keeps them to himself; plus, he's not outright stupid here, but more like a little naive. While he's quite the easy-going guy, there are more sides to Droop-a-Long that I'll be expanding on in this story.
> 
> Take those two personalities together, throw them in different situations, and ya get something like this. To be honest, I've never really seen them as close as Quick Draw and Baba Looey are, but the point of this is to expand on their friendship.


End file.
